Barletta, extortion and detention for the purpose of drug dealing: large-scale operation by the State Police, 41 arrested and reported

The State Police of Barletta – Andria – Trani, by order of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Trani, has deferred to the Judicial Authority 37 subjects, Of which 35 recipients of precautionary measures, issued by the GIP at the Court of Trani, and 2 reported at large, all accused, to varying degrees, of extortion and possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing.

Furthermore, during the complex investigation activity, arrested red-handed, for the same crimes, others 4 subjects e 1.200 grams of hashish, 1.000 grams of cocaine and 500 grams of marijuana seized.

The investigative activity, coordinated by the Trani Public Prosecutor's Office and conducted by the Anti-Drug Section of the Flying Squad of the Barletta-Andria-Trani Police Headquarters through technical activities, shadowing, stakeout and observation services, has allowed us to highlight important circumstantial evidence attributable to a flourishing drug dealing activity of cocaine, marijuana, hashish and heroin.

Specifically, from the activity carried out it was learned how the city of Barletta was divided into 4 main areas, in each of which was mainly one type of narcotic substance sold: central area cocaine and heroin, Puttilli area hashish, Palazzo Salso area cocaine and Calò area marijuana. The drugs, after the "order", were delivered to a pre-established location or directly to the buyer's home, like a real delivery service delivered.

Not only that, from the technical activities a new meaning of the concept of "drug dealing area or square" has emerged, no longer understood as something static, but rather, as expanded area of ​​operation, always limited to the criminal power of those who control it, in which the individual sellers, they move and sell dynamically, on foot or by electric bike.

In particular, after telephone contact between buyer and seller, the substance was then commissioned using a cryptic language, they agreed on the meeting place and the number of doses to be delivered.

From the interceptions acquired, it can be noted that in the conversations between the seller and the buyer, the term “beers” or “bottles” is used to generically indicate the narcotic, while words such as “the green one” or “the criminal one” indicate the specific type of substance.

Or, again, to identify the place of the exchange, the reference neighborhood of Barletta is directly indicated, “see you in Calò”, “I'm here... in Calò”.

At the same time as the measures were implemented, the Police Commissioner of the province of Barletta – Andria – Trani, Alfredo Fabbrocini, has started the activity for the issuing of all the suspects of the CD DASPO “out of context”.

This preventive measure, introduced by the Security Decree bis of June 2019, allows the so-called sports DASPO to be applied also to individuals reported or convicted of specific types of crimes, such as, precisely, drug dealing.

Therefore, regardless of whether the contested conduct occurred during sporting events, the recipients of the measure will be banned from accessing them for a period determined by law. The aim is to prevent infiltration of fans by individuals linked to common/organized crime or, in any case, considered dangerous.

It should be noted that the measures adopted during the investigations are not definitive and that the suspects cannot be considered guilty until their responsibility has been ascertained with an irrevocable sentence or criminal decree of conviction.

The numbers of the operation:

• Total number of subjects reported to the Judicial Authority: 41
• Reported at liberty: 2
• Precautionary measures in prison: 19
• Precautionary measures of house arrest: 13
• Measures of the obligation to report to the judicial police: 3
• Arrests in flagrante delicto (carried out during the investigation): 4
• Seizures carried out (during the investigation): 1.200 g hashish; 1.000 grams of cocaine; 500 gr. of marijuana.